This is an upper-division humanities course that introduces the student to the rich history of the interpretation of biblical writings. The focus rests on the ways in which the various faith communities, Jewish as well as Christian, received the writings, rendered them comprehensible and relevant to contemporary concerns, and passed them on to subsequent generations. The chronological range covered by this course begins during the biblical period itself and extends to the present day. Prerequisite: completion of a 300-level Old Testament or New Testament course or instructor's permission